Howling Bluff Estate Winery Naramata Bench

The Smith family with a little help each year farms the vineyard, picks the grapes, makes the wine and on some days when we have time will sell you the wine in our small wine shop. The winery and vineyard is the culmination of a dream that started back in 1981

June 14, 2014
The 10 year experiment has officially ended. In 2003 when we began planning what varieties we were going to plant here at th

e Summa Quies vineyard very few “experts” I spoke with had strong views on what varieties would work well here on the Naramata Bench. That should not be surprising when you think that the real beginning of growing wine grapes in the valley didn’t begin in earnest until the 1990’s. So 11 years ago I felt that we should try and see what actually grows well here on the Bench. From 2004 to 2008 we planted a number of vines; Pinot Noir, Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot, Malbec, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. It became obvious to me almost right away that the Bench is not a place for certain vines but is perfect for others. First and foremost the Pinot Noir loves it here and even a “bad” year from Mother Nature gives us ripeness that allows us to make a great Pinot Noir. The Sauvignon Blanc simply loves the South Western slope we planted it on and from year one has been perfect each year. The Semillon doesn’t seem to care where it’s planted or what the weather is like it just gets ripe and delicious each year. The Merlot, I’m almost convinced that the Merlot grape is not a Bordeaux grape but instead a Burgundy grape based on 8 vintages, every year it gets ripe with great Brix and flavours and usually only a few weeks behind the other vines.

2003 My passion for wine started very early for me as my mom was the Secretary of the Vancouver chapter of the International Wine and Food Society. In those days many of the events were at our house so I was exposed very early on to many different and wonderful foods. Later, as I was "approaching" 19, I was able to taste many extraordinary wines. My love of the combination of food, wine and warm experiences with friends began there. Press pause - marriage, children and a 26 year long career as an investment advisor - the dream is nothing more than that, a dream. For some of us there comes, upon reflection, that "moment,” the one that you can point to and say, "if I had done that instead of this everything would be different.” In 2003 I had that moment when I realized my dream and bought acreage on the now famous Naramata Bench in Okanagan wine country. For me it is about attempting perfection, year after year, and it must start in the vineyard. I believe to make great wine you must have perfect grapes and to get perfect grapes you must grow them yourself. So that’s what we do, my oldest son Daniel and I. We took an old apricot orchard and some fallow land and built a vineyard. I am very proud of the work we have done. When people come to the winery everything they see we have done with our own hands. One of the happiest and proudest moments of my life was when I watched my son place the last post in the ground for our first large planting. We call our vineyard Three Mile Creek. We also live by the Latin phrase Summa Quies meaning loosely: To seek perfect peace and solitude and to try and seek perfection.